If you have been following the business dealings within the online gambling community, you have probably heard a lot about the planned Playtech-Ladbrokes merger. It’s kind of a big deal because it would combine one of the largest online bookmakers with one of the top casino and gambling software developers.

As you can imagine, the move to strengthen Ladbrokes isn’t loved by their competitors, most notably William Hill, who operates both a sports book and an online casino. What William Hill has that other competitors don’t, though, is the ability to stop this merger.

William Hill has filed an injunction to block the merger and the court has upheld the injunction on a temporary basis. William Hill has a joint venture partnership with Playtech, with the software company working with William Hill Online, its casino. William Hill owns 71% of the joint venture.

It has been reported that Playtech offered to restructure their deal with William Hill. It seems that William Hill has declined. The injunction prevents Playtech from selling any of its software to Ladbrokes. In addition, it also prevents any restructuring of the joint venture between William Hill and Playtech. The companies signed a five-year deal in October of 2008, but next year William Hill would have the option of buying out Playtech. In the meantime, the two companies will work together in the joint venture, which was created to revitalize William Hill’s then-struggling casino (something it has accomplished).

Ladbrokes is already one of William Hill’s top competitors. When Ladbrokes announced its intentions earlier this month to merge with Playtech and create a £2.2 billion online gambling company, many wondered if William Hill would try to block the move.

William Hill, one of the leading online casinos and betting exchanges in the industry, is holding a festival for this winter holiday season. The promotion is called the William Hill Winter Skills Festival and it is a large tournament with a total prize pool of £10,000.

There are five tournaments for five different games, each with a guaranteed prize pool of £2,000. The tournaments have entry fees for as little as £2.50, though once you run out of chips you have to re-buy if you want to continue playing.

The tournaments are held in the games of blackjack, poker dice, gin rummy, backgammon and dominoes. The first part of the Winter Skills Festival, which is the poker dice and dominoes events, began today, December 8. On Thursday, December 9, the backgammon and gin rummy tournaments take place. The festival ends on Friday, December 10, with the blackjack event.

As a special treat, in addition to winning money from the £10,000 total prize pool, players who win or come in second also gain free entry to the William Hill Skill Grandmaster tournament, which is a tournament held early next year, on January 6.

For those not in the know, William Hill is an online gambling operator based in the UK and specializes in casino games, sports betting and other online betting services. If you are not yet a member of William Hill, you can take part in the Winter Skills Festival immediately upon joining. William Hill will also offer you a free £150 as a sign-up bonus for joining the website.

Online bingo has become surprisingly popular among the younger generations. What was once thought to be a game only for senior citizens to play, largely because not much skill or memory is needed, is now increasing in popularity among the youth. As a result, William Hill has launched a new, interactive online bingo website.

The website is called Ruby Bingo and it is powered by Playtech software. The new online gambling website features seven different bingo rooms. One exciting feature of the bingo site is its interactivity. The software has a variety of chat and social networking features. Players are able to create personal profiles complete with bios, photos and more. While playing the bingo games they are able to use real-time chat to communicate with and talk trash with other bingo players. Yes, you can now trash talk during a bingo game!

William Hill is hoping to create a new gaming experience for fans of online bingo with a website that features a more social atmosphere. Playing bingo at a land-based bingo hall is often more about social interaction than actually playing the game. Online bingo websites have always missed out on that social interaction, but with the in-depth profiles and chat features, Ruby Bingo aims to recreate that social experience.

There are also monetary incentives for joining the new bingo website. Right now players who buy one bingo game get a second game for free. In addition, new players can receive £16 free as a welcome bonus as well as an ongoing 10% off weekly bonus.

In case you have been wondering, there are now official odds on the likelihood of Lady Gaga becoming President of the United States. No longer do we have to wonder. Next time someone scoffs and says “What are the odds on that?” you will actually have an answer. The odds are 100/1 that Lady Gaga will at some point in her life become President of the United States, according to bookmaker William Hill.

Novelty betting is nothing new. Any time a few guys get together and are doing some activity, at some point a wager will come up. “What do you want to bet I can hit that target from here?” “I bet you $20 I can get her phone number.” In recent years, proposition betting on novelties has become more popular at online bookmakers. The truth is, people like to bet, and not just on sports and casino games.

While sports betting is still the dominant category at online bookmakers, prop bets on things such as politics and popular culture draw the interest of those who aren’t sports fans. It has become popular to vote on things such as who will win Dancing with the Stars or who will win the Booker Prize for fiction. William Hill allows you to bet on whether or not it will snow on a given day. Almost anything can be bet on with one online bookmaker or another, including Lady Gaga’s odds of becoming POTUS. In case you’re wondering, the odds of Ms. Gaga becoming president in 2012 are 500/1. Barack Obama’s odds are even money, which seems a little optimistic, considering his abysmal approval rating.

You can expect online bookmakers to continue offering novelty bets and possibly adding more and more of them. Many insiders see that as an attempt to target women or others who are not interested in sports.

A good casino bonus can help you enjoy your early time at an online casino and make playing the games more fun. After all, spending money is always more fun when it’s not your own. Right now William Hill has a good welcome bonus for their casino.

The casino bonus at William Hill comes in multiple parts. First, new members receive a 100% match bonus on their first deposit, with a maximum bonus amount of £150. That bonus must be wagered at least 20 times before being withdrawn.

The casino bonuses don’t stop with your first deposit, though. William Hill has a £1,500 Monthly Loyalty Bonus. With this bonus, the casino rewards players for frequently visiting the site and playing with them. Throughout the month, players can receive a 20% match bonus on all deposits. There is a maximum bonus of £50 per deposit and £1,500 per month. These bonuses must be wagered 15 times before being withdrawn.

William Hill is best known as an online betting site for sports, prop bets and more, but not long ago they launched their own online casino. That casino has all the games you would expect, including online poker, online slots, blackjack, roulette and any other game you associate with a casino experience.

To take advantage of the welcome bonus and £1,500 Monthly Loyalty Bonus, join William Hill Casino.

The Advertising Standards Authority – the UK’s regulatory agency that polices advertising – is at it again. They have now banned a William Hill email campaign that they say is deceiving. According to the ASA, they banned the ad because it markets a bonus offer that requires customers to wager at least 50 bets to redeem. Such wagering requirements are common for online casinos and betting sites. What makes this slightly different, drawing the ire of the ASA, is that the customers must make those wagers within one month. For frequent customers, though, that shouldn’t be a problem.

As is often the case, the email mentioned the good parts of the deal, such as the amazing bonus offer, without going into too much detail about the rest. Customers could easily learn about the wagering requirements by visiting William Hill’s website, but that isn’t good enough for the ASA, who insists that all of the information should have been in the email.

According to the ASA, the “ad was misleading” because the “minimum number of bets, minimum spend and withdrawal limits and requirements were significant conditions likely to influence customers’ understanding of the offer and should have been stated prominently in the ad” (emphasis added). According to the ASA, the conditions of the offer – what is normally contained in fine print – should be as noticeable as the part that is meant to entice players. That is absurd. William Hill admitted that there was an error and the email should have included the statement “terms and conditions apply.” However, any rational person would assume that terms and conditions apply to any bonus. A wise person would read up on the conditions of any casino bonus before taking part in the deal. It only makes sense.

Last year I came down hard on another site, Betfair, for an ad that was banned by the ASA. Though I still don’t think it was a good ad, I made the mistake of assuming that the ASA had any credibility. They don’t. This is an agency that doesn’t understand marketing, constantly undermines good ad campaigns because they think people are too stupid to understand them and generally feels that they have to protect people from advertisements. People don’t need protection from ads. Unless they outright lie in the ads, they should be allowed. Whatever happened to caveat emptor? Failing that, whatever happened to people being responsible for themselves?

The ASA has had a number of controversial rulings. They banned an iPhone ad that said with it you can access “all of the Internet.” The reason for the ban? The iPhone doesn’t support the Flash plugin. The ASA also banned an Israeli tourism poster because it had a map of Israel that included the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Many believe that the ASA’s decision was influenced by Palestinians. They also banned a radio ad that featured a yelling German boss because it “reinforced a negative and outdated cultural stereotype of German people as overpowering and tyrannical.” The ASA banned an ad for a 3G phone service because they didn’t make it clear that customers would need broadband connections to use it. American Apparel ads have been deemed too risqué and commercials for digital radio have been banned for allegedly exaggerating their quality.

I can keep listing ridiculous bans, but I think you get the point. The reasons the ASA gives for banning ads are what I call “good advertising.” They seem to be arbitrarily enforced, leading to speculation that there is favoritism going on. In any case, if you want to take advantage of the bonus in the banned William Hill ad, visit their website, but be sure to read the terms and conditions.

Online bookmakers – sites like William Hill – offer odds on a lot of events other than sports. The most common other bet involves politics and, in particular, elections. Among the many political odds offered are the odds of a certain person winning the United States presidential election in 2012.

The incumbent is always going to have the best chance of winning if he’s eligible for re-election and for that reason, President Obama has 2-3 odds of winning. According to the bookmakers, though, Al Gore has taken a nose dive since news of an alleged affair surfaced.

Shortly after his split with Tipper Gore after 40 years of marriage, a story was released alleging that he had a lengthy affair with Laurie David, the ex-wife of comedian Larry David (Yes, Larry David’s wife was named Lauria David; I am gagging a little). Affairs are never good for campaigns, so the news has reduced the former Vice President’s odds of winning in 2012. He was already a longshot with 60-1 odds, but following the affair allegations, his odds are almost 70-1.

So having an affair is the nail in the coffin that will prevent Al Gore from becoming the next president? I would have thought he’d be prevented that honor on the basis that he’s one of the biggest con artists in history, has profited off stirring up “global warming” propaganda, thinks that light bulbs are more of a threat to America than terrorists, claims he created the internet, engaged in illegal fundraising activities, rented out slum apartments and trailers, and is generally considered dishonest – even by the standards of a politician!

Or if you need a better reason for disqualification, how about this? Gore lost to George W. Bush in 2000! If you’re not capable of beating him (though that was before Bush’s popularity really tanked), then you can’t win in 2012.

So if Gore won’t win, who are the frontrunners? Aside from Obama, Mitt Romney and (God no) Sarah Palin have the best odds at 10-1. Mike Huckabee has 12-1 odds and Tim Pawlenty has 14-1 odds. Romney probably has the best chance of that group, though I think Pawlenty, though not a household name, could become a factor. With respect to the bookmakers, nobody is going to vote for Huckabee. He’s a nice enough guy, but no one feels he has what it takes to be president. Plus, his wife just admitted to murdering someone (editor’s note: That was actually Melissa Huckaby, who is not related). As for Sarah Palin, she needs to stick to posting controversial comments on her Facebook page. That’s what she’s best at.

After those Republicans, the next Democrats are Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden, at 15-1 odds. Strangely enough, polls show that Hillary now has a higher approval rating than Obama, so maybe she should be the frontrunner. As for Biden, isn’t he Obama’s insurance policy against assassination? I assumed Obama picked him as the VP because he knew people would say “the last thing we want is that idiot Biden running the country!” Then again, during Clinton’s impeachment hearings, that’s what people said about Gore.

Republicans Bobby Jindal (20-1), Condoleeza Rice (20-1) and Bill Frist (25-1) also deserve mention. What’s interesting is that there are so many Democrats with decent odds. The incumbent is almost always chosen as his party’s nominee the following term. Maybe the bookmakers are taking into account the likelihood of Obama being impeached. Considering his troubling ties to ACORN, SEIU, the Chicago Climate Exchange, STORM, the Apollo Alliance, the Weather Underground, the Joyce Foundation, the Tides Foundation, and other radical groups, impeachment is a definite possibility.

The most perplexing candidate listed in the betting odds, though, is Rob Portman, with 80-1 odds. I don’t think there are 80-1 odds of finding a person that knows who Portman is. I wonder if I can find that action in a sports book.

Big Brother has been a reality TV sensation ever since it first hit the airwaves in the Netherlands in 1999. Since then, it has become a hit in Germany, Spain, Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, Portugal, the UK and the United States. Word is that US President Barack Obama is even a fan of the show, mostly because it’s named after his favorite character from 1984.

I don’t watch the show and to be honest, I would rather have dental surgery than watch that show, American Idol, (insert country name here)’s Got Talent, Survivor, The Bachelor or basically anything where they follow a bunch of idiots around with a camera. I seem to be in the minority, though, because all of those shows are popular. There are rumors that this season could be the final one for the UK’s version of Big Brother, so to commemorate that and give their fans something to celebrate, William Hill is offering a slot tournament.

The tournament is played on the Big Brother slot, which is a 5-reel, 25-payline video slot featuring symbols that are photos of contestants on the show. Since I haven’t watched the show, I don’t know if they are from the UK cast, the American cast, the Italian cast or whatever. Likewise, I also don’t know what year the cast is from.

The Big Brother slot promotion has a raffle-style giveaway, where prizes are drawn at random. The slot tournament takes place from June 9 to June 15 and during that time, players earn one entry into the drawing for every £10 they wager on the game. The more times you’re entered in the drawing, the more likely you are to win. There will only be 500 entries allowed in the promotion, so it is better to participate sooner than later.

To take part in the Big Brother slot tournament, visit William Hill today.

William Hill, the popular online casino and sports book, has a few big promotions going on right now. Whether you want to play poker or bingo, William Hill has a little something for you.

Though most people hate Mondays, it is the perfect day for playing online bingo at William Hill. The website helps you start your work week in a positive way by giving players a 10% bonus for playing bingo. The bonus is automatically deposited into the players’ account for every 90-ball bingo ticket purchased. With the 10% bonus, players will be able to play even more bingo, which would make my grandma happy. Yeah, I know young people play online bingo, too, but my grandma really does love it. I wasn’t making fun. William Hill is also offering Deal or No Deal Bingo, a fun bingo variant based on the popular TV game show.

For players who are more into poker, William Hill can hook you up as well. Right now anyone who signs up for William Hill Poker and makes a deposit will get a 100% matching bonus of up to £400. More money to play poker with is a good thing. If you’re good at poker, it allows you to win more money. If you suck at poker, it lets you play for longer before you lose everything. So it’s a win-win situation.

“But wait,” you say,” why would I play poker if I don’t know what I’m doing?” That’s a good question. You shouldn’t. That’s why William Hill is also offering its members a free course that teaches you how to play poker. The Poker School offers tips, advice and strategies, helping members become more skilled at one of the most skilled of games.

So if you feel like playing bingo or poker, or you just want o learn how to be a better poker player, William Hill has what you need.

Frequent readers of Gambling Review have no doubt noticed my less than sunny position on big government. While I do think that government is certainly necessary and important, big government means big taxes. As a prime example of how too much government intervention/taxation has a negative effect on an already hurting economy, I give you William Hill Online’s recent move and their reasons for doing so.

William Hill Online recently moved their online gambling operations to Gibraltar, sighting mammoth taxes as a hindrance to growing their business. In an article posted on eGamingReview.com, William Hill expresses why the company pulled up their stakes and took their online gambling operation to Gibraltar.

“Any company which wants to be a leading online betting and gaming business on the international stage has to take every competitive advantage possible. And it was simply impossible for us to compete from the UK, as the current 15% gross profits tax regime and 10% levy on all UK horse racing bets accepted discriminates against onshore operators. Existing offshore operators don’t have those costs, giving them more capital to invest in growing their business.”

William Hill clearly would have preferred to keep their business on UK soil, which would have not kept jobs in the UK’s already hurting economy as well as supplying the government with at least some revenue. But the online gambling company’s words apparently fell on deaf ears.

“Although that was a point which we made repeatedly to the UK government, who has always claimed that it wanted to be an international center for gaming, we got no response. The decision to move was one we could no longer avoid making. Our online operations now have a really bright future.”

Some concern has been made over the idea that moving online gambling operations off shore could lead to possible increases in fraud and flawed security, but William Hill is certain this will not be an issue. “As for those who have claimed that moving offshore will increase the risk of match-fixing or corrupt betting, bookmakers are the ones that suffer if fraudulent bets are placed. They have no interest in lowering their guard when it comes to monitoring these criminal activities.”

William Hill stated that over 60 of its employees are making the move from the UK to Gibraltar with expected growth ahead. This move will no doubt cost the UK government a pretty penny. Not only are they missing out on collecting at least some tax from the online gambling giant, but they are losing the lifetime income taxes of more than 60 people. Walmart estimates that every time they permanently lose a customer, they lose somewhere in the neighborhood of $250,000 that would have been spent in that customer’s lifetime. One can only imagine how much money the UK government has missed out on by letting William Hill leave their shores.